Panic Attacks in your sleep?

[sd1017]

I am a 23 year old who has been on anti-anxiety medicine since I was about nine. Anxiety problems run rampant in my family. I was wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this particular feeling.

When I am asleep or about to fall asleep, I will suddenly jolt awake feeling as if my heart has stopped beating, skipped a beat, or that I can't catch my breath. Usually I will wake up and gasp for breath as if I hadn't been breathing. I have considered going to a cardiologist but everyone tries to assure me it is anxiety.

I do have panic attacks from time-to-time where my heart pounds very hard and I am absolutely CERTAIN I am about to die or am having a heart attack. Then I fixate on the heart beat and become convinced if I don't pay attention to every beat it will stop beating. Trying to explain it to someone who doesn't have panic attacks is hard because they don't understand what it feels like to suddenly know without a doubt you are about to die.

But back to my real question, has anyone ever had the feeling that their heart stopped beating or skipped a beat while they were sleeping and it woke them up? Is it possible to have a panic attack in your sleep?

[chrisi2009]

mostly i think i cant breathe at night,my heart beat is ok

[sandy35]

A couple of years ago when my anxiety was really bad I used to wake up having a panic attack by shaking and sometimes screaming and shouting. I only get this occasionally now but it makes me feel like i am going to die and scares the life out of me.

[annie pannie]

Hi SD1017

I am sorry to hear you have these horrid events - it can be very frightening and bewildering especially when you are trying to work out what is going on. I don't know if you have had these checked out by your GP, but if you are worried it is worth seeing someone if only to get some re-assurance. I have been plagued with the very same thing for a year now and at one point ended up in casualty because my heart went completely mad straight from being fast asleep it was utterly terrifying. It then continued to happen -sometimes several times a night for months. I had some cardio tests - not all as I was too stressed to have them all done but it was enough for the cardiology nurse to reassure me there was nothing wrong with my heart. I also had blood tests (terrified of needles but did it and felt very proud!!) The blood tests were fine too. I have had lots of lingering doubts as to whether anything was "missed" should I have had a 24 hr monitor, what if they missed something important - you know the way your mind goes. Anyway in April, i left my job (it was very very stressful), my partner returned home from working away and I began to do some exercise. Guess what - the attacks gradually lessened. From having several a night they are now down to one every three/four weeks. I had one three weeks ago after a comparatively stressful day. I thought here we go again, but then reasoned that it was bound to happen as my body is so used to being on red alert. Interestingly, it only happens at night - heart racing, breathing going etc etc. Anyway three weeks on today , I had a stressful morning on a course- had a really bad head (always a sign I am stressed out), came home, went to bed to try and get rid of the head, fell asleep and guess what again- woke up with an electric shock going throught my head, heart racing like mad, disoreintated, all the usual. The one common denominator - the stress. Might not be a lot of stress or what other people might consider stressful, but as I say, our bodies are on red alert. It seems to me that on the days when I am stressed and internalise the feelings and then don't get rid of the excess adrenaline by exercise then i can almost guarantee that I will go through the exact same things you describe complete with heart racing sweating etc. I would always say, if you haven't been checked out then do so, but from what you say, it sounds like anxiety. The mind is very good at adapting, and if you tend to try and overide your anxious thoughts through the day, then they will re-emerge at night. Try not to worry (I don't mean that glibly!) It has taken me a year and I am just beginning to accept that it is anxiety; you will get there in your own time. Good luck and let me know how you get on.

Best wishes Annie

[tilly-bud]

hi
My anxiety and panic attacks started after minor car accident in december,
two nghts ago i woke at approx 3am, gasping for breath, i thought i was choking and my heart was racing i couldnt go back to sleep as i thought i may die, crazy as it sounds!! This was the first time that this has happened during the night and hopefully the last. Its hard enough to fight during the day without it accuring at night.

[Scared_rebecca]

Hey, your not alone! I also get these. I actually have been doing pretty well the last few months, untill last night. I had a really bad one. I had fallen asleep and woke up around an hour later, and was terrified! It felt like i was having a heart attack. I was scared and woke my roomate up. I thought for sure i'd have to go to the hospital. And it continued for the rest of the night too, i would doze off, and then jolt awake with pains, and feeling disoriented. I just started smoking again the day before so i think it may be related to that.

[Panickypants]

I am a 23 year old who has been on anti-anxiety medicine since I was about nine. Anxiety problems run rampant in my family. I was wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this particular feeling.

When I am asleep or about to fall asleep, I will suddenly jolt awake feeling as if my heart has stopped beating, skipped a beat, or that I can't catch my breath. Usually I will wake up and gasp for breath as if I hadn't been breathing. I have considered going to a cardiologist but everyone tries to assure me it is anxiety.

I do have panic attacks from time-to-time where my heart pounds very hard and I am absolutely CERTAIN I am about to die or am having a heart attack. Then I fixate on the heart beat and become convinced if I don't pay attention to every beat it will stop beating. Trying to explain it to someone who doesn't have panic attacks is hard because they don't understand what it feels like to suddenly know without a doubt you are about to die.

But back to my real question, has anyone ever had the feeling that their heart stopped beating or skipped a beat while they were sleeping and it woke them up? Is it possible to have a panic attack in your sleep?


y goodness it sounds like i have wrote this myself....
I sometimes have the feeling my heart has stopped which jolts me awake or i have to gasp for breath..I also have times in the day when i sit and think omg my heart is going to stop on the next beat and i sort of wait for it to happen...I know when i do this i make myself worse have been doing it a lot lately and i try my best not to and when i don't think about it i am fine and my heart beats normally so i'm sure it IS just anxiety it;s just telling my mind that... x x

[rainbubs]

Hi! Panic attacks are horrible!

I have awoken many nights mid panic attack, someone has now given me a paper bag to keep by the side of my bed but it's horrible waking up mid panic attack and then trying to get back to sleep.

My doctor doesn't know what to do with me anymore so not on meds (although was given 7 days worth of sleeping tablets to try....however, I still woke up mid panic attack last night)

[debbiele]

hi rainbubs,

i wake up trying to breath at night and i always put it down to whatever i was dreaming. Id shoot up gasping for air, but always remember worrying about something just b4 i wake its horrible. i have just been prescribed citalopram so hope they work. not feeling to good at the moment side effects av kicked in.

[rainbubs]

awww I'm sorry to hear you're getting side effects from the medications! I am no longer on any meds but am not brave enough to talk to my Doctor and ask to try some different ones.
All the best and hope that you feel better soon!

[pollyanna]

Yeah... happens to me too... i think it always feels worse because its night, and also you would think you were relaxed when you are asleep, it has happened to me too many times to count over the years and it still scares me , i have to remind myself that is is all anxiety.
its difficult to get your head around i know, and it happens at lot more when im over tired and stressed.

When i first became ill , even doing a relaxation tape would send me into a panic, i had forgotten what is was like to feel your body relax a bit, it felt so alien to me..... crazy i know
I used to check my pulse all the time too, but i have learned on the whole to stop that, it really doesnt help.

In the begining my heart would do all the things that you are describing, i went to the specialist and had a 24 hour monitor put on which confirmed that my wee heart was racing away , i think it was well over 200 beats at one point, but it was all in a normal rhythm, and he thought i would benefit from taking propranolol, however it took me over a year to take the blinking pills, because i was so scared, but in the end i had too, i couldnt stand the symptoms anymore, i still take them when i need to even now, they were a great thing for me, i wish i had tried them sooner.

I also remember a pyschologist in his wisdom asking me was i not reassured that my heart was beating so fast, and therefore it was strong, at the time i was horrified and thought him insensitive, but i can see the logic now.
i hope all the posts from the experience others have helps you a little.
and to remember you are not alone.


Best wishes

P x :flowers: